Alien vs. Predator

"Happy hunting...for anything but this game!"

Okay...I loved the original Predator movie, and the second one wasn't that bad, so when I heard there was going to be a SNES title based one the Predator and Alien (another series I'm nuts about) franchises, I was excited. Being a fan of Final Fight type ''beat-em-up'' games, it seemed like a formula that you couldn't possibly go wrong with. It turned out, sadly enough, that I was wrong, and they did go wrong with it. The result is a game with a winning concept but difficult and repetetive game play and some okay graphics.

Story 6/10

I'll give the designers credit...the story idea could have been a pretty good one. The trouble is the way it's presented throughout the game gives you the sense that, from level to level, the designers really didn't know where they wanted the game to go next. Just when you think it's almost over, another level pops up, leaving you wondering if this hunt is really just an intergalactic wild goose chase.

Gameplay 3/10

This game suffers from a lack of variety in your available attacks, as well as a very minimal cache of weapons at your disposal. With little more than straight forward punching, jump kicks, and some in close punching moves, it makes you wonder why it was you thought the Predators were so tough to begin with. The other problem is the little shoulder-mounted laser cannon you're equiped with. If timed correctly, you can beat the whole flippin' game without ever laying a hand on the aliens, just by blasting them repeatedly! That's just not right. And to make matters worse, if you do rely on your hand to hand combat moves, the aliens frequently get in cheap hits and knock you down repeatedly without a chance for you to retaliate. This, in my opinion, is not good game play.

Graphics 7/10

The graphics are pretty good in this game. Most of the bosses look pretty cool too. Unfortunately, the back grounds can be repetetive at times, and many are flat and uninspired. Still, the look of the game lends itself well enough toward giving you the feel of being in the alien/predator universe. Too bad graphics alone don't make a good game.

Sound 3/10

Not so great. The music isn't too bad, but it gets repetetive after a while. The punching sound effects and alien screeches are annoying, and can really get to you after a while.

Overall, this game was a big dissapointment. Hopefully you borrowed or rented it. If not, you could always sell it back to cut at least some of your losses...or you could sell it to that kid who convinced you to buy ''Bayou Billy'' from him all those years ago.

Reviewer's Score: 3/10, Originally Posted: 12/04/02, Updated 12/04/02